{{Short description|Stranger Things character}} {{pp|small=yes}} {{Other people|William Byers}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Use American English|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox character | name = Will Byers | series = Stranger Things | image = Will Byers ST5.png | caption = Noah Schnapp as Will Byers in the fifth season | first = "Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers" (2016) | last = <!--Don't add season 5 finale. Confirmed appearance in the animated series Tales from 85--> | creator = The Duffer Brothers | portrayer = {{Plainlist| * Noah Schnapp * Luke Kokotek (young) * Miles Marthaller (young) }} | voice = Benjamin Plessala (''Tales from '85'') | full_name = William Byers | nicknames = {{Plainlist| * Will the Wise * Boy Who Came Back to Life * Zombie Boy * The Cleric * The Spy * Sorcerer }} | fighting_style = {{plainlist| * Clairvoyance * Mind and Body Link * Power Absorption }} | family = {{plainlist| * Joyce Byers (mother) * Lonnie Byers (father) * Jonathan Byers (brother) * Jane "Eleven" Hopper (adoptive sister) * Jim Hopper (stepfather) }} | home = {{Plainlist| * Hawkins, Indiana, United States (seasons 1–3, season 5) * Lenora Hills, California, United States (season 4) }} | nationality = American | lbl21 = Born | data21 = March 22, 1971 | lbl22 = Age | data22 = 18 (as of season 5 epilogue) }}
'''William Byers''' is a fictional character from the Netflix science fiction horror television series ''Stranger Things'', portrayed by Noah Schnapp. The character appeared in a recurring capacity in the first season before being promoted to the main cast starting with the second season. Schnapp's performance and the character itself have been generally well received by critics, though not without criticism, particularly in the show's fifth and final season with his coming out scene in episode 7.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaney |first=Jen |date=October 30, 2017 |title=Noah Schnapp Is the MVP of Stranger Things 2 |url=https://slate.com/culture/2017/10/in-praise-of-noah-schnapp-in-stranger-things-2.html |access-date=October 30, 2017 |website=Slate |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Characterization == Noah Schnapp was cast as Will Byers in August 2015.<ref name="Aug2015Deadline">{{Cite news |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=August 20, 2015 |title=Duffer Will Byers played by Noah Schnapp Bros. Netflix Supernatural Drama Series Sets Young Cast, Gets Title |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/duffer-bros-netflix-series-stranger-things-young-cast-1201502552/ |url-status=live |access-date=August 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822215815/http://deadline.com/2015/08/duffer-bros-netflix-series-stranger-things-young-cast-1201502552/ |archive-date=August 22, 2015}}</ref><ref name="S2Cast2">{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=October 14, 2016 |title='Stranger Things' Netflix Series Adds Two New Regulars, Promotes Two For Season 2 |url=https://deadline.com/2016/10/stranger-things-netflix-series-cast-season-2-1201836680/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161025073025/http://deadline.com/2016/10/stranger-things-netflix-series-cast-season-2-1201836680/ |archive-date=October 25, 2016 |access-date=October 14, 2016 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> Schnapp was promoted to series regular for the second season in October 2016.<ref name="S2Cast2" /> Schnapp was revealed to be returning for the third season in a main role by February 9, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ausiello |first=Michael |date=February 9, 2018 |title=Stranger Things Season 3 Episode Count (Finally) Revealed |url=https://tvline.com/2018/02/09/stranger-things-season-3-number-of-episodes/ |url-status=live |website=TVLine |accessdate=February 9, 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901123724/https://tvline.com/2018/02/09/stranger-things-season-3-number-of-episodes/ |archivedate=September 1, 2016}}</ref> The idea of having Will communicate with Joyce via lightbulbs was inspired by 1980s films, including ''Poltergeist.<ref name="daily beast">{{Cite web |last=Leon |first=Melissa |date=August 6, 2016 |title=Inside 'Stranger Things': The Duffer Bros. on How They Made the TV Hit of the Summer |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/07/inside-stranger-things-the-duffer-bros-on-how-they-made-the-tv-hit-of-the-summer.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506153310/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/07/inside-stranger-things-the-duffer-bros-on-how-they-made-the-tv-hit-of-the-summer.html |archive-date=May 6, 2017 |access-date=February 6, 2017 |website=The Daily Beast}}</ref>'' In terms of the narrative in the third season, Levy said the season would be less about Will, saying, "We're not going to put Will through hell for a third season in a row. He'll be dealing with stuff, but he won't be at rock bottom... We're [going to be] dealing with forces of evil that are new."<ref name="s3 glamour">{{Cite web |last=Radloff |first=Jessica |date=January 24, 2018 |title='Stranger Things' Season 3 Is Further Along Than You Think |url=https://www.glamour.com/story/stranger-things-season-3-new-details |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123135801/https://www.glamour.com/story/stranger-things-season-3-new-details |archive-date=January 23, 2018 |website=Glamour |accessdate=January 24, 2018}}</ref>
== Fictional biography == === Season 1 === {{See also|Stranger Things season 1|l1=''Stranger Things'' season 1}} Will Byers is introduced in the first season of Stranger Things as a quiet and sensitive boy living in Hawkins, Indiana. After encountering a creature from the Upside Down, an alternate dimension connected to Hawkins, Will disappears and is presumed dead. While trapped there, he communicates with his mother Joyce through electrical disturbances. Will is eventually located and rescued by Joyce and Jim Hopper. Following his return, he suffers lingering physical and psychological effects, indicating his continued connection to the Upside Down.
=== Season 2 === {{See also|Stranger Things season 2|l1=''Stranger Things'' season 2}} After his return, Will experiences difficulty readjusting to everyday life and is subjected to harassment by other students. He suffers from recurring visions of the Upside Down and is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by Dr. Sam Owens. It is later revealed that Will has been possessed by the Mind Flayer, an entity seeking to expand its influence into Hawkins. Using Will as a conduit, the Mind Flayer spreads through underground tunnels beneath the town. Will is ultimately freed from the entity's control with the help of his family and friends.
=== Season 3 === {{See also|Stranger Things season 3|l1=''Stranger Things'' season 3}} In the third season, Will becomes increasingly isolated as his friends begin focusing on romantic relationships. He discovers that he still retains a psychic sensitivity to the Upside Down, allowing him to detect the Mind Flayer's presence. This ability helps the group identify the entity's continued survival through its possession of Billy Hargrove. Following the defeat of the Mind Flayer during the events at Starcourt Mall, Will moves away from Hawkins with his mother, brother, and Eleven.
=== Season 4 === {{See also|Stranger Things season 4|l1=''Stranger Things'' season 4}} Now living in Lenora Hills, California, Will struggles with emotional repression and a sense of displacement. During Mike Wheeler’s visit for spring break, Will supports Eleven as she faces bullying and later accompanies Mike, Jonathan, and Argyle in an effort to locate her after she is taken to a facility in Nevada. During the journey, Will reveals his romantic feelings for Mike through a painting, though he does not state them directly. Upon returning to Hawkins, Will senses the Upside Down's renewed presence as it begins merging with the real world.
=== Season 5 === {{See also|Stranger Things season 5|l1=''Stranger Things'' season 5}} In the fifth season, Will remains in Hawkins as the town is placed under military quarantine following the breach between dimensions. His psychic connection to the Upside Down intensifies, allowing him to perceive events from the perspective of its creatures and track Vecna’s movements. Will plays a central role in locating and protecting children targeted by Vecna and later demonstrates the ability to disrupt the hive mind through his connection to it. Over the course of the season, Will comes out as gay to his family and friends, who express their support. During the final confrontation, Will uses his psychic link to help weaken Vecna, contributing to his defeat and the destruction of the Upside Down.
== Reception == [[File:Noah Schnapp 2025 (1).png|thumb|Schnapp promoting the fifth season in 2025|287x287px]]
=== Critical reception === Will was ranked the third best ''Stranger Things'' character by Screen Rant, behind only Eleven and Steve Harrington.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 26, 2020 |title=Stranger Things: The Main Characters, Ranked By Likability |url=https://screenrant.com/stranger-things-main-characters-ranked-by-likability/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183721/https://screenrant.com/stranger-things-main-characters-ranked-by-likability/ |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |access-date=July 3, 2021 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}}</ref> Though Schnapp's performance continued to be generally well received by most critics throughout the show's run, some critics had become more critical of the character's writing and Schnapp's portrayal by the fifth and final season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosenstock |first=Ben |date=2025-12-26 |title=We Need to Talk About Will |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/stranger-things-will-coming-out-scene-explained.html |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref>
=== Accolades === Schnapp received a total of two awards and six nominations for his role as Will Byers. Schnapp was nominated for an MTV Movie & TV Awards in the category of Best On-Screen Team with other cast members Gaten Matarazzo, Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, and Sadie Sink in 2018, as well as in the category of Most Frightened Performance the same year, which he won.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=Dino-Ray |date=June 19, 2018 |title=MTV Movie & TV Awards Winners: 'Black Panther', 'Stranger Things' Among Top Honorees – Full List |url=https://deadline.com/2018/06/mtv-movie-tv-awards-winners-full-list-black-panther-stranger-things-lena-waithe-chris-pratt-tiffany-haddish-1202412928/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619034312/https://deadline.com/2018/06/mtv-movie-tv-awards-winners-full-list-black-panther-stranger-things-lena-waithe-chris-pratt-tiffany-haddish-1202412928/ |archive-date=June 19, 2018 |access-date=July 3, 2021 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> Along with the rest of the main cast in the second season, Schnapp was awarded the Screen Actors Guild Awards in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2017.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=SAG Awards Nominations 2017: See the Full List |url=https://ew.com/sag-awards/2016/12/14/2017-sag-awards-nominations/ |url-status=live |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627021855/https://ew.com/article/2016/12/14/2017-sag-awards-nominations/ |archive-date=June 27, 2019 |access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 29, 2017 |title=SAG Awards: The Complete Winners List |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/sag-award-winners-2017-complete-list-960075/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182721/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/sag-award-winners-2017-complete-list-960075/ |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |access-date=July 3, 2021 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> For the third season, the main cast (including Schnapp) was once again nominated for the same award, however this time the cast did not win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nominations Announced for the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards ® |url=https://www.sagawards.org/media/news/releases/nominations-announced-26th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards-%C2%AE |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212024926/https://www.sagawards.org/media/news/releases/nominations-announced-26th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards-%C2%AE |archive-date=December 12, 2019 |access-date=July 3, 2021 |website=Screen Actors Guild Awards}}</ref> In 2017, Schnapp was nominated for the category of Best Performance in a Digital TV Series or Film – Young Actor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2017 |title=Nominees – Young Artist Awards |url=http://youngartistawards.org/nominees |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202050908/http://youngartistawards.org/nominees |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref> For his performance in the fifth season, Schnapp was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series at the 53rd Saturn Awards.<ref>{{cite web |title='Sinners', 'Avatar: Fire And Ash', 'Fantastic Four' And 'Dexter: Resurrection' Lead Saturn Awards Nominations |url=https://deadline.com/2026/01/2026-saturn-awards-nominations-1236697753/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=January 27, 2026|first=Patrick|last=Hipes}}</ref>
=== Sexuality === In the final season of ''Stranger Things'', Will Byers comes out as gay to his friends and family.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Noah Schnapp Admits He Cried Reading Will's Pivotal Scene in 'Stranger Things' Volume 2: 'I Was Nervous' (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/noah-schnapp-cried-reading-will-pivotal-scene-stranger-things-volume-2-exclusive-11873743 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20251226063037/https://people.com/noah-schnapp-cried-reading-will-pivotal-scene-stranger-things-volume-2-exclusive-11873743 |archive-date=2025-12-26 |access-date=2025-12-26 |website=People |language=en}}</ref> Prior to this canonical confirmation, viewers and critics had long speculated that Will was gay and harbored unrequited romantic feelings for his best friend, Mike Wheeler.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 26, 2020 |title=Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp clears the air about his character Will's sexual orientation |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/02/26/stranger-things-noah-schnapp-will-byers-sexual-orientation-gay-asexual-netflix/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529120432/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/02/26/stranger-things-noah-schnapp-will-byers-sexual-orientation-gay-asexual-netflix/ |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |website=PinkNews}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Brett |title='Stranger Things' Season 4: Is Will Byers in Love With Mike Wheeler? |date=May 28, 2022 |url=https://decider.com/2022/05/28/stranger-things-season-4-will-byers-has-a-crush-on-mike-wheeler/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529120432/https://decider.com/2022/05/28/stranger-things-season-4-will-byers-has-a-crush-on-mike-wheeler/ |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2022}}</ref> ''Stranger Things'' fans used the term "Byler" for the proposed relationship between the two characters.<ref name=C>{{cite web|website=Collider|url=https://collider.com/stranger-things-5-byler-fan-reaction-mike-will-relationship-coming-out-story-explained-matt-ross-duffer/|title='Stranger Things' Creators Address the "Byler" Fandom and the Truth Behind Mike and Will's Relationship [Exclusive]|first1=Chris|last1=McPherson|first2=Steven|last2=Weintraub|date=January 1, 2026}}</ref><ref name=P>{{cite web|magazine=Parade|title=Noah Schnapp Had To Advocate for One 'Stranger Things' Finale Scene|date=January 2, 2026|author=Declan, Liz|url=https://parade.com/news/noah-schnapp-had-to-advocate-for-one-stranger-things-finale-scene}}</ref> The fourth season contained significant subtext, including a scene where Will becomes emotional after giving Mike a painting under the pretense it was from Eleven, which critics interpreted as an acknowledgment of his sexuality.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 2022 |title=Did Will Byers Come Out in the Stranger Things Finale? An Investigation |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/stranger-things-4-finale-did-will-byers-come-out.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703103806/https://www.vulture.com/article/stranger-things-4-finale-did-will-byers-come-out.html |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |access-date=July 3, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |title='Stranger Things' reveals what is on Will's painting |url=https://ew.com/tv/will-painting-stranger-things-season-4-volume-2/ |url-status=live |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703103806/https://ew.com/tv/will-painting-stranger-things-season-4-volume-2/ |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |access-date=July 3, 2022}}</ref> Series creators the Duffer Brothers stated these scenes were meant to show Will "relieving himself of some of that burden" and planned to continue this character arc into the final season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=July 5, 2022 |title='Stranger Things' Matt & Ross Duffer Dish Season 4 Finale Death & Destruction & Epic Battles Ahead |url=https://deadline.com/2022/07/stranger-things-duffer-brothers-interview-season-five-1235058041/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711162826/https://deadline.com/2022/07/stranger-things-duffer-brothers-interview-season-five-1235058041/ |archive-date=July 11, 2022 |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=Deadline}}</ref> Actor Noah Schnapp had also stated in July 2022 that he believed it was "100% clear" Will was gay and in love with Mike.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vary |first=Adam B. |date=July 14, 2022 |title='Stranger Things' Star Noah Schnapp on Doja Cat, Season 5, and Will's Sexuality: 'He Is Gay and He Does Love Mike' (Exclusive) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/stranger-things-noah-schnapp-will-byers-gay-doja-cat-1235317378/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715031043/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/stranger-things-noah-schnapp-will-byers-gay-doja-cat-1235317378/ |archive-date=July 15, 2022 |access-date=July 15, 2022 |website=Variety}}</ref> In January 2023, Schnapp himself came out as gay, saying he "had more in common" with the Will Byers character than he previously thought.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Bernardo |date=January 5, 2023 |title=''Stranger Things'' Actor Noah Schnapp Comes Out As Gay |url=https://www.out.com/celebs/2023/1/05/stranger-things-actor-noah-schnapp-comes-out-gay |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Out |archive-date=January 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230105223734/https://www.out.com/celebs/2023/1/05/stranger-things-actor-noah-schnapp-comes-out-gay |url-status=live}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
{{Stranger Things}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Byers, Will}} Category:American male characters in television Category:Child characters in television Category:Fictional characters incorrectly presumed dead Category:Fictional characters with post-traumatic stress disorder Category:Fictional gay boys Category:Fictional hostages and kidnapped people Category:Fictional human test subjects Category:Fictional LGBTQ characters in drama television series Category:Fictional possessed characters Category:Fictional students Category:Fictional survivors Category:Fictional victims of child abuse Category:Stranger Things characters Category:Teenage characters in television Category:Television characters introduced in 2016